Every year, people take time around the world to celebrate Mardi Gras. However, if you aren't native to southern Alabama or Louisiana, you might not understand what Mardi Gras is all about. We will help dissect if for you so you can know what to expect on your trip to Mobile.
What is Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras, translated literally meaning Fat Tuesday, is a famous celebration that stemmed as a pagan tradition. It's a time of celebration before the Catholic holiday Lent, which is six weeks before Easter.
What day is Mardi Gras celebrated?
Because Mardi Gras is relative to Easter and Lent, the day it's celebrated changes from year to year.
Here are the next 10 years worth of Mardi Gras celebrations, so you can prepare to visit Mobile when the festivities are on!
March 1, 2022 February 21, 2023 February 13, 2024 March 4, 2025 February 17, 2026 February 9, 2027 February 29, 2028 February 13, 2029 March 5, 2030 February 25, 2031
If you want to plan even further in the future, check out this website for Mardi Gras dates.
How did Mardi Gras start?
While originally Mardi Gras was a pagan celebration of fertility, Christians have taken the festival as a time for merrymaking before Lent and Easter.
The first person to celebrate Mardi Gras in America is rumored to be Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville in 1699. A few years after that, French soldiers wore masks and celebrated the occasion in what is now Mobile, Alabama.
Mobile, Alabama is thought to be the first place Mardi Gras was celebrated in America.
What do Mardi Gras beads mean?
You have probably noticed that beads are given out during Mardi Gras. Usually in three bright colors, the beads are a way to show that you are celebrating.
If you are heading to a Mardi Gras parade, you should be able to catch some from the performers. Some get snagged on the trees downtown, coating the main street with a shimmer of gold.
What are the Mardi Gras colors?
Green, Gold, and Purple. They represent Faith, Power, and Justice, respectively.
Mobile Mardi Gras Parade
If you want to see the beautiful decor and parade floats, come to the Mobile Carnival parade route!
It starts at Broad and Dauphin Street and moves northeast. It's a perfect day activity for tourists who want to experience something new.
Whether you are concerned about COVID-19 or you don't want to be in the heat of a Mardi Gras parade, the Porch Parade is another option.
Instead of setting up your chair, shouting and dancing on a crowded road, you can take your special someone on a drive through the unofficial Mobile Porch Parade.
Locals deck out the outside of their homes for a true Mardi Gras celebration. By following this trail, you can get a taste of the season without needing to interact with too many other people.
If you want more information on the Mobile Porch Parade, visit their Facebook page.
The Best Mardi Gras Drinks
Because Mardi Gras is a celebration, it is common for people to drink the day away from morning until night. There are various drinks you can try out, just don't drink too much or you'll forget it even happened!
Now that you have a better understanding of what Mardi Gras is, you can use this to prepare your next Mobile trip. If you want to be heavily involved in Mardi Gras, staying at the Malaga Inn can be a convenient lodging choice!
